New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-03-07
richssh "MYRo' prtired utfae BY nsn luck
Y,1lltaua YYe4s The dtacnyerer Of Xtlltam'e Creek

~~-'
William Vets. the discoverer Of Williams Creek
the richest Of ALL died pauper, as indeed james
Marshall. who discovered gold in California may
he said to have done Many other Of the FIRST
owners Of rich claims squandered their gains so
madly that they ended in restitution One man
who WAS taking out two hundred ounces any
regularly gambled away his days earnings az
faro every evening" Such facts must temper the
svmpathy felt for the discoveries OF great weai'h
| from which they do not profit. Oftener IMAM noC
the cause of their misfortunes has been bhclr own
reckless extravaganza. Many substantial fortunes
were made at Cariboo, however. and with The IN
PRODUCTION of machinery deep sintings became pos
sible, and leads were opened which have In num-
her of instances continued to yield large revenues
to the present time.
The influx OF population caused by the success
i've discoveries on the Fraser at Carlboo. kOrten@,
Sticken and other localities brought together the
usual proportion of wild and lawless adventures
but not with the ordinary results.
In 1855 the horne authorities established colon
ial governments in Vancouver Island and British
Columbia, and Mr.. NOW Sir Matthew Begbie was
appointed Chief Justice Of the latter. From the
| first he exhibited an energy and firmness wmch
put the administration of justice upon decldc''
footing. 1t soon came to be understood In bhe
mining camps that IL there was shooting there
would be hanging. Judge Begbie's name was
terror to eyil-doers, and the certainty that they
would not escape punishment proved an effectual
restraint upon them. 1t may be doubted II any
old fields have been governed more TRANQUILITY
than those of British Columbia, and the same
general causes operated to keep the peace between
the miners and the Indians. 1t was speedily
| made lno,yn TINT no distinction was to be drawn
bptween the murder of native and the murder
of a white man, and this understanding had a
salutarv effect Moreover in 1853, when the
Government was too young to exercise full au-
tbority, there had been several outrages upon
Indians, and the tribes themselves had then re-
taliated so ercely that the tradition Of those oc-
currences made even the toughest cautious.
| After few years experience OF colonial gov
eminent It was found that the expense OF separate
establishments for the island aud the mainland
was far too great 10 be borne by the struggling
colonies, and they were consolidated under the
title of British Columbia Then came union with
| the Dominion of (anada, which was agreed 10
mainly in the hope Of obtaining the CANADIAN
Pacific Railroad. For several years, however,
Canada showed an inclination to break faith on
this issue and stormy discussions resulted between
| the provinces British Columbia often threatening
| secession and always complaining loudly and Bit
| terly of the sluggishness Of the Ottawa Govern-
ment Mr. BancrOft's chapters on the Canadian
Pacific are full Of interest. and show clearly the
audacity and formidable character OF The under
taking But for private enterprise and capitai
IL could not have been carried b complexion buU
after extraordinary difficulties had been sur
mounted the western terminus nj B,irrards lhieI
Port Moody was reached in November, 1855 The
settlement of British Columbia has proceeded
slowly Victoria today has population OF no
more than twelve thousand and IL Is by Tar the
largest town in the Province. Nevertheless the
resources of the country are great and varied
It possesses fine and largely productive coal
measures besides its auriferous deposits, which
in the opinion Of competent authorities are as yet
virtually undeveloped. 1t has inexhaustible sup
nles Of timber large area Of cultivable land
fisheries which yield abundantly, and an equable
and ON the whole genial climate That OF
Vancouvers Island indeed is most agreeable. being
free from extremes and emincntly healthful van
couvers Island, however, has comparatively
small area Of agricultural SOIL It's chief wealth
bein. in its mines of coal, gold and copper, ana
its fisheries The harbor at Esquimalt, three
miles from Victoria, Is an important possession
from a national point OF vew and IL properly
fortified must become a formidable and menacihs
naval headquarters The growth OF the colony
has been retarded by various causes, buo the com
LECTION OF the transcontnenal railroad is expected
TO stimulate inflsIdVion' a"u viz eNA' -
uects are favorable to steady If not rapid progrcss
Mr. Bancroft has brought together In his inter
csting history every scrap of material OF any vaue
in determining the meaning Of events, and has
SHARED no pains to make the work alike full and
trustworthy The list OF authorities cited shows
how exhaustive has been the prelimi-
nary work OF compilation, and the
completeness OF the historical Poflrans
with which the volume is sprinlllcd freely testihes
to the conscientiousness of the authors research
1t Is deserving Of notice that much information
has been derived at first hand from the lps OF
men who were principal actors in the scenes de-
scribed and from the thoroughness OF all the work
it may be concluded that whatever progress
British Columbia may achieve hereafter, the early
history Of the Province will have to be sought
| in the great treasurc-house OF BancrofCs works